Online contest could land family van for disabled son

Monday

Apr 8, 2013 at 5:00 PM

By David FrownfelderDaily Telegram Staff Writer

Miles Root is a fighter and an inspiration to his family. The 8-year-old son of Jim and Nicole Root is severely disabled, and the family is in a voting competition trying to win a specialized van to transport Miles. The Roots are asking for online help from the public, not money.

People can vote once per day at at this link. The voting is being done through the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA) as part of its 2013 National Mobility Awareness Month campaign. This movement educates seniors, veterans, caregivers and people with disabilities about wheelchair-accessible vehicles and adaptive mobility equipment options available to them to live an active and mobile lifestyle.

According to the organization’s website, NMEDA will award three people a wheelchair-accessible vehicle tailored to meet their needs through the online contest. Sponsors Chrysler Automobility, SanTan Honda and Toyota Mobility are providing the vehicles, which will be customized by NMEDA manufacturers BraunAbility and Vantage Mobility International.

Voting began March 11 and closes May 10. Winners will be announced the last week of May.

His parents said Miles, who is the third of four boys, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in April 2010. He has spent a great deal of time the past three years in various hospitals, including Bronson Children’s Hospital in Kalamazoo, Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit and C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor.

Following Miles’ original diagnosis, the tumor was resected, but he was diagnosed with a cancer of the brain affecting the center part of the cerebellum, which controls balance and motor skills.

Less than 24 hours after the surgery to remove the first tumor, Miles suffered several other setbacks, including bacterial meningitis. After almost two weeks of antibiotics, Miles suffered a cardiac arrest in his dad’s arms from an undiagnosed duodenal ulcer that hemorrhaged, causing a loss of blood oxygen to Miles’ brain and damage to the motor areas and pathways of his brain. A week later, Miles again cardiac arrested from another hemorrhage and underwent emergency surgery to save his life.

“It’s been a very difficult road. We’ve been trying to come to terms with his latest setback,” Nicole Root said. “He started his latest round of chemo March 18 and we’ve been dealing with the side effects.”

According to his story on the NMEDA website, Miles attends a special school in a Severe Multiple Impairment (SXI) classroom. “He will endure more chemo to hopefully bring him a cure, but his chances are grim. He is a true fighter and hero and will always be regardless of where this journey leads.”

The family is currently transferring Miles in and out of their van into a special needs car seat. During chemotherapy, Miles will have many transfers to endure for appointments and they are working to get him a new wheelchair stroller and eventually a power wheelchair. The family is asking people to cast their votes daily for Miles to help him win the wheelchair-accessible van. The family consists of Jim and Nicole and their four boys, Skyler, Ian, Seth and Miles.

Miles’ story on the Caring Bridge website can be accessed at this link. Caring Bridge, a nonprofit organization founded in Minneapolis in 1997, is funded by donations.

It is a website allowing people to share information and stories and to send messages of support to people in need.

At a glanceWHO: Miles Root, 8, of TecumsehWHAT: Voting to win a wheelchair-accessible van for the familyWHEN: Vote once per day at this link.FROM: National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association 2013 National Mobility Awareness Month campaign.INFORMATION: — To vote: click here— Facebook page: click here— Caring Bridge: click here